Rossville mulls proposed trucking company expansion
Company wishes to consolidate operations, purchase countyowned lot in Rossville
A Chattanooga trucking company will talk with Rossville developers about purchasing property there to consolidate its operations.
Comptroller Mark Brouillard, during the Jan. 13 Rossville City Council meeting, said S&H Trucking Inc. would like to purchase the undeveloped, 1.17acre, county-owned lot on Williams Street. The company already owns property nearby at 105 Maple St. and would like the additional property to park trucks.
Mayor Teddy Harris urged Brouillard to talk with the Downtown Development Authority as the next step.
“Every deal must leverage every dollar to its maximum,” said Elizabeth Wells,
Rossville’s economic and community development consultant. Wells emphasized that the city does not have utilities to fund its budget, only taxes on property and sales.
“We are at a critical phase of growth in Rossville,” she said. “We want to make sure any acquisition of property in that mill district is at its highest and best use.”
The city, its DDA and Walker County Development Authority are all working closely to evaluate proposed projects to make sure every development proposal is in the best interest of Rossville taxpayers, Wells said.
Walker County Development Authority wants input on the proposal from Rossville leaders and the
DDA, council member Michael Hicks said.
Brouillard said the company proposes to purchase the property for $48,000, with the county financing it for four years and paying $1,000 per month. The property is assessed at $38,250, meaning the county tax assessor estimates its fair market value at $95,625.
Several issues must be considered with the property, such as the impact of increased truck traffic in the area, how the proposed new use would affect property tax collections and whether someone else might offer more for the property.
“Parking is a true premium” in that area, Wells noted.
The property is in Rossville’s urban redevelopment area, and the DDA desires to make the mill district a “true mixed-use development with residential, commercial and industrial” uses, she said.
Between 50 and 60 employees would be based in Rossville, generating $1.5 million annually in payroll, if S&H purchases the property, Brouillard asserted. He said the company had made an offer on another property that had been part of the Coats-American plant, but the deal had stalled.
DDA chairman Houston Robertson said he would like S&H to talk with the DDA about the proposal and possibly to look at the site together. He said S&H may find it more advantageous to look at property elsewhere.
Because the county owns the property, no property taxes are collected on it.
According to the company’s website, S&H provides logistics services for general freight, general warehousing, oversize loads, automobiles, boats on trailers or cradles, motor homes, travel trailers, heavy equipment, local cartage and cross docking.
“S&H currently operates 57 company-owned road tractors and 203 trailers, including dry box, refrigerated, flatbed, drop deck and pup with lift gate,” the website said. “The entire fleet is constantly upgraded to provide the high quality, consistent performance our customers require and deserve.”